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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to erosion control and bulkhead systems designed to protect shorelines and to encourage the retention of accretions in order to help build new shorelines. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved erosion control system and breakwater apparatus that features individual precast concrete members having a tubular body section, and an open ended vertical bore that receives sediment carried by waves via front and rear openings.
2. General Background of the Invention
The loss of shoreline is a chronic problem in many coastal areas. Wave action can destroy shorelines and adjacent homes or building especially during storm conditions.
One of the often suggested solutions to the problem of coastal erosion control has been the formation of a bulkhead or breakwater in the suspect area.
Bulkheads can take from of elongated networks of pilings, either round or sheet pile type construction. Various systems have been patented that relate generally to erosion control. The following list of patents are examples of systems that are used for bulkheading and/or erosion control at shorelines:
The present invention provides an improved breakwater apparatus for protecting and building a shoreline of a body of water or an island shoreline. The apparatus includes a concrete body or a plurality of bodies, each having upper and lower end portions. Each concrete body is of a tubular shape with a sidewall or walls and provides front and rear surfaces with flow openings.
A vertical bore is preferably open ended and extends between the upper and lower end portions of the body. Inlet and outlet openings define flow intake and flow discharge openings that communicate with the vertical bore portion of the concrete body. The tubular bodies can be jetted into position using a pump that lowers each concrete body into a marine sea bed or water bottom.
The apparatus includes preferably a plurality of concrete bodies that extend laterally along any shoreline or bank to be protected. The concrete body includes a front breakwater opening that extends through the concrete body at its front and a rear breakwater opening at its rear.
The present invention provides a method of erosion control for controlling erosion at a shoreline next to a sea bed and for accumulating accretions that help build shoreline. The method includes the placing of a network of tubular concrete bodies along a shoreline to be protected. Each concrete body provides an internal open ended vertical bore.
The method includes the jetting of each of the concrete bodies into a partially embedded position that places a lower end portion of each concrete body in the sea bed using a pump that is lowered into the vertical bore of each tubular body. A plurality of the concrete bodies are closely positioned one adjacent another to form a wall or breakwater.